The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced in a press release on Friday April 3rd, that the majority of their delegates had voted in favor of recommending to their membership the tentative agreement reached on February 20th.
ILWU President Bob McEllrath stated, “This agreement required ten months of negotiations – the longest in recent history, but we secured a tentative agreement to maintain good jobs for dockworkers, families and communities from San Diego to Bellingham. Longshore men and women on the docks will now have the final and most important say in the process.”
The next step for the ILWU is to mail the proposed agreement to all union members. The union can then discuss the proposal with their local ports before the final ratification vote takes place using a secret ballot.
The next date to watch will be May 22nd, when all voting ballots turned in by the union will be tallied up.
MIQ Logistics will continue to monitor this situation closely and will track updates on our Ocean Freight Forwarding Market Update page, as they become available.
For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative.